This morning, early, we loaded Tinni into the trailer and took him to the Chamberlin Equestrian Center, which is located on the southside of Anchorage. We were there for the Pete Ramey Barefoot Trimming clinic. We’d arranged it so that Tinni would be evaluated and trimmed. We decided to take Tinni because he’s now an older horse and we want to do right by him.

Joshua Morris, Tinni’s farrier for the past ten years, was also in attendance. I felt really good about the fact that both Pete and Josh were there since Josh is going to be doing the eight week barefoot trims and Pete is going to do the four week trims. I am going to try my hand at this too.

Pete watches Pete trim Tinni's feet

For Tinni, this was sort of a homecoming. He used to be taken to the Chamberlin Center for shows. And he was also a therapeutic riding horse. I tied him to the trailer, and at lunch time took him for a walk, which included a jaunt around the oval tolting track. It is now overgrown and hardly used, but it is still recognizable as the site in which Tinni competed with his peers.

After lunch, we entered the arena, a covered shelter – and for the next hour and half Pete Ramey gave Tinni the once over. He first looked at the bottom of his right foot and determined that the upper portion of his sulcus, which is the dividing line of the frog, should be opened up so as to let air in and prevent infection. Pete next talked at length about thrush, a bacterial infection that horses get in their hooves – it’s caused by being in wet and dirty conditions. I was taken aback because Tinni is kept in a clean environ. Then Pete Ramey (after listing the ingredients used to treat this condition) said that Tinni didn’t have thrush. Go figure.

Tinni was then trotted around by Veterinarian Brooke Wilson’s assistant. Ramey said that he appeared to be stiff and suggested doing passive leg stretches. Right then I realized that I need to be more proactive and do more body work on this horse.

After, Ramey again examined Tinni’s front feet and said that the sole of his hooves are too thin. He followed this statement with another, which is that we should have his hoof radiographed in order to determine if his coffin bone, which is the lowest bone in his hoof, has tipped downward. This, laminitis, is caused by a lack of blood flow to the corium – there is then a separation of the bone from the laminae.

There was no radiograph on hand (we did not know we had to have this done), so Ramey painted the bottom of Tinni’s front hooves with an epoxy adhesive armor, which will last 3-4 weeks. This will reduce wear and encourage sole growth, particularly in the heel area.

Lastly, Ramey fitted Tinni for front boots, but he did not have a pair on hand that fit. So we will order a set.

All the while this was going on, Tinni stood quietly – and at one point, as Ramey was walking past, first lifted his right front and then his left front foot for him.

As all this was going on, I couldn’t help but think of how much I love this horse. And as soon as mid-August rolls around I am going to get on a schedule, which will include working with Tinni as well as the other horses.